Continuing our series featuring insights from major employers, Rachael Smith, people & culture executive director at Sir Robert McAlpine, tells Nicky Roger what the contractor looks for in candidates, where skills gaps are emerging and how it is using workforce planning to develop talent
What are the top three qualities you look for in a candidate?
For us, there are three things that stand out: attitude to learning and curiosity, ownership and accountability, and collaborative leadership.
Construction is evolving quickly, so the best people are those who continuously adapt, ask questions and look for better ways of doing things.
Ownership and accountability are also important. We look for people who take pride in delivery, do what they say they are going to do and hold themselves to high standards.
The third is collaborative leadership. Regardless of role or seniority, those who can build trust, bring others with them and contribute to high-performing teams really stand out.
What immediately differentiates candidates is how they talk about impact. We want people who can demonstrate not just what they have done, but how they have improved teams, outcomes or client relationships.
Does professional membership make a difference?
Professional membership can be a positive indicator because it demonstrates commitment to ongoing development and technical credibility. However, it is not the deciding factor.
We take a broader view of capability, looking at experience, mindset and behaviours alongside technical credentials.
Membership of a professional body can also start when someone joins us. We support and invest in our employees on their journey to chartership where it aligns with their role and development goals.
Ultimately, we are most interested in how someone applies their experience and skills.
What technical or soft skills are most lacking among applicants?
There are two areas that stand out.
The first is leadership and interpersonal skills, particularly the confidence to have honest conversations, manage conflict and lead teams through complexity or pressure points.
The second is deep technical specialism in high-risk or complex areas. The industry needs more people with specialist skills.
There is also an increasing need for commercial awareness and digital capability, as projects become more data-driven and clients’ expectations change.
What are the most difficult roles to recruit for?
The most challenging roles are typically highly technical and experienced positions.
These include specialist commercial professionals, such as M&E quantity surveyors, as well as planners, estimators, design managers and specialist technical experts.
These roles are in short supply across the sector and demand remains high.
Geography also plays a part. Projects are not always where people want to be, and there has been a noticeable shift in expectations around mobility and working away from home.
That is why developing internal capability and creating clear career pathways is just as important as external recruitment.
What are you doing differently to attract and retain talent?
Our approach is threefold.
First, we are identifying and investing in key talent and experience through tailored development and career pathways.
Second, we are embedding strategic workforce planning, using our projects and work-winning activities to accelerate the careers of talented and experienced employees.
We have recently implemented an AI-driven workforce planning tool, Bridgit, which will be a game changer. It allows us to match an employee’s experience, development plans and geography with opportunities at the push of a button.
Third, we are strengthening our focus on leadership capability.
If we get this right, our talent will be in senior leadership positions in the not-too-distant future, and we need to prepare them for that.
We are also placing a strong emphasis on inclusion and cognitive diversity. It is about creating an environment where people feel they can contribute, feel they belong and can grow and build long-term careers.
Looking ahead three to five years, what new roles or capabilities will emerge?
We see three key shifts.
The first is digital and data-driven roles, including AI, digital technology and information management. These will become particularly important as regulatory requirements develop around the “golden thread” of building information.
The second is enhanced technical specialisms. As standards rise, there will be greater demand for deep expertise and assurance that goes beyond compliance.
The third is modern leadership capability.
The industry is only going to get more challenging, so we will all need to place greater emphasis on leadership – leaders who can build high-performing teams that are resilient, curious and able to work together to succeed.
What makes Sir Robert McAlpine a great place to work?
For me, it is a place where people can grow, lead and succeed at every stage of their career.
They can grow as individuals and as teams, lead people and become industry leaders, while achieving great things on the truly remarkable projects we deliver as part of proudly building Britain’s future heritage.
What makes SRM stand out is the genuine focus on career development and internal mobility, rather than putting people into rigid roles.
We have a culture that is evolving towards high performance, curiosity and accountability, alongside the opportunity to work on complex, meaningful projects where technical excellence really matters.
